Hormuz access must be secured in US-Iran settlement: UAE president's adviser

UAE official Anwar Gargash has said that any settlement of the US-Iran war must guarantee access through the Strait of Hormuz.

He also warned that a deal that fails to rein in Iran’s nuclear programme and its missiles and drones would pave the way for “a more dangerous, more volatile Middle East."

Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, told a weekend briefing that the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical oil arteries — cannot be weaponised, stressing that its security is not a regional bargaining chip but a global economic imperative.

"The Strait of Hormuz cannot be held hostage by any country," said Gargash, adding that freedom of navigation through the waterway "has to be part and parcel of the settlement of any conflict with clear agreement on that."

Gargash said the UAE wants the war to end, but warned against a ceasefire that leaves the root causes of instability unresolved.

“We don’t want to see more and more escalation,” he said.

“But we don’t want a ceasefire that fails to address some of the main issues that will create a much more dangerous environment in the region...notably (Iran's) nuclear programme, the missiles and drones that are still raining down on us and on other countries."

US President Donald Trump threatened to rain "hell" on Tehran if it did not make a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline.

In a post laden with expletives on Sunday on his Truth Social platform, Trump threatened further strikes on Iranian power plants and transport infrastructure that critics say would constitute a war crime.

The US and Israel have pounded Iran with missiles and air strikes for more than five weeks to destroy what they said was an imminent threat from the country's nuclear weapon development programme, killing nearly 2,000 people, including children, since February 28th.

Worst-case scenario unfolding

Gargash said the United Arab Emirates was ready to join any US-led international effort to secure shipping through the strait.

About a fifth of global oil and liquefied gas supplies normally pass through it each day, but Iran’s threats have severely curtailed traffic, triggering a global energy crisis.

The UAE has come under heavier Iranian strikes than any other Gulf state, according to regional officials.

Gargash said that for decades, the most unlikely worst-case scenario for the UAE had been a full Iranian attack — a scenario that is now unfolding. Despite that, he said, the country was coping well, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness under pressure.

He said the UAE’s economic fundamentals remained strong and positioned the country for a recovery, though he acknowledged it would require effort.

Gargash said Iran’s strategy was likely to harden the Gulf’s security alignment with Washington rather than reduce it, entrenching the US military role in the region and amplifying Israel’s footprint.

He said the US would remain the UAE’s core security partner and that Abu Dhabi would double down on that relationship as regional threats intensify.